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The wisdom of experience Past players have lots of knowledge and skills to give back to the game, and especially to individuals. Editor Ken Davis has a vision of how the fountain of wisdom can be tapped for one-on-one mentoring. As we reach our “mature years” we come to realise that, while we may not know it all, we sure know a lot more than when we were 20. }We have much more experience and hopefully have learned from mistakes made along the way. We are well-placed to advise others how to achieve success. When young we tend to go at things like a bull at a gate, making decisions purely on instinct, often without considering the implications. It is only when we have made some mistakes that we start to grasp the wisdom of seeing the big picture before embarking on a particular pathway. A young sportsperson often struggles to handle a higher level of competition against hardened professionals because of, among other things, an experience deficit. 26 ⁄⁄ COACHING EDGE / JULY 2013
Given time and more insights, young players become smarter and can realise their potential. But, if we believe in coaching, we should be working to accelerate that process so that players “know it all” well before they become redundant on the field, because of aching limbs, failing eyesight or whatever. Many former players turn to coaching but, if they don’t achieve much success, they can be dropped like hot scones, relegated to the outer where they might share their experience with the fan next to them or just watch the game, at times in silent frustration. Some who have been elite players continue to be involved in the media and we can learn from them by listening to them on radio, TV or the internet, or we can read their take on the modern game in the print media or on the web. Young players today will have been influenced by the wisdom of the likes of Leigh Matthews, Robert Walls, Kevin Bartlett and Dermott Brereton. Their perspectives can be an invaluable learning tool for youngsters. But what of other former players? Many who were once household names in the AFL still have an active interest in the game but their wisdom is not utilised to any great extent. Some may be invited to talk at their former club but may » have much more to offer and, more importantly, be willing to assist. WORDS OF WISDOM: Young players will be influenced by former stars and now media commentators such as (from left) Dermott Brereton, Leigh Matthews and Kevin Bartlett. Solution to the wisdom waste Coaching has evolved to the extent that we now have a head coach and several specialist coaches. In time we might have one coach per player, all operating under the guidance of the head coach. It’s a logical development as the game becomes ever more professional. In this scenario, many of the forgotten players of the game could be used to mentor a player. They might watch that player’s every move, and even non-move, and provide feedback to the player and head coach. Clearly these mentors would need to work within the framework of the head coach’s philosophy; it could be a recipe for disaster if you had mixed messages being given to players. In my role as a sport psychologist, I have often had to advise players on how to overcome losses in form or develop an approach that could enhance consistency. I always start that work with a player by asking what the coach wants the player to do to improve. I then work within those guidelines. At a time when I was not working at a particular club an AFL player asked me to help him develop his game. I trained myself to watch that player exclusively, rather than the game. As well as the typical statistics, I detailed how and where he gained possessions, saw his work off the ball, watched how he made position, tracked his movement around the field, recorded the impact of his immediate opponent, and documented his involvement in the game each quarter. I was aiming to record every relevant activity in which the player was involved. There was no guesswork in that process and I could advise the player how he could improve his output quite readily. He may have been running to spots that did not meet the style demanded by the coach. He may not have been presenting enough or been getting to the fall of the ball often enough. He may have allowed his opponent too many free opportunities. Specialist coaches may have seen a lot of these engagements in the game, but I believe I saw more of the player than they did. It’s from that experience that I came to favour one-on-one mentoring of players. It can lead to better feedback and ultimately optimise performance. Imagine what effect a ball magnet such as Dean Cox could have been working with a player such as a young Patrick Ryder. Crucial to the success of this proposal is the need for past players to keep up to date with the evolution of the game, so that they can maintain credibility with the modern player. They would need to be familiar with the latest jargon and game plans of the sport. Terms such as stoppages, press, spread, squeeze, corridor, talls and smalls need to become part of their vernacular so that they are not seen as outdated. These mentors would need to meet the coach regularly and perhaps sit in on some meetings between the coach and players, so that they are aware of the game plan and role of their players. So who is game enough to adopt such a coaching approach? Maybe, just maybe, it could provide the edge for a team to get the jump on the opposition in the quest for the Holy Grail. The model could be replicated to some extent at all levels of football. Junior clubs could ask senior players to mentor one junior player. They might not be expected to watch all games but the process of observation would be similar. At a senior level coaches could gather a stable of ex-players to assist in this mentoring role. It may be possible for one mentor to watch two players if the number of mentors available is less than 20. If there were only, say, five such ex-players, they could be asked to watch a different player each game over four weeks and provide individual reports. Or perhaps they could watch one player a quarter. Whatever resources can be gathered, the process could mirror to some extent what might occur at an AFL club with these ex- players employed at probably minimal cost. COACHING EDGE / JULY 2013 // 27
Page 1 and 2: Volume 26 No. 1 JuNE 2013 // Incorp
Page 3 and 4: Introduction Coaches at all levels
Page 5 and 6: “With the forward press mentality
Page 7 and 8: Just 15 minutes after the siren sig
Page 9 and 10: When Richards joined the Swans, his
Page 11 and 12: Risk-taking According to legendary
Page 13 and 14: Playing a broad range of sports has
Page 15 and 16: I encourage coaches ‘ to look out
Page 17 and 18: 4 Returning to play It is important
Page 19 and 20: This program was developed to assis
Page 21 and 22: three points. In this situation the
Page 23 and 24: VERSATILE: Hawthorn’s Jarryd Roug
Page 25: Drill 2 3 3 3 50 4 4 50 4 RED BENCH
Page 29 and 30: METHODICAL: Collingwood coach Natha
Page 31 and 32: The switch-of-play ‘ kick must be
Page 33 and 34: The evaluation ‘ process should b
Page 35: Terry Wallace has coached 247 AFL g

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